Albion Park Rail vs Haywards Bay

Haywards Bay is the younger of the two, with a median age of 38 against 41 in Albion Park Rail. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Haywards Bay, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Haywards Bay: a median of $1.24 million, against $830,000 in Albion Park Rail, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Albion Park Rail tends to suit people living alone and buyers on a tighter budget, while Haywards Bay suits families with children and couples.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Haywards Bay

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (28/100 vs 74/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (83% vs 60%)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (99% vs 78%)
  • But Albion Park Rail has more parks and reserves (17 vs 0)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Albion Park Rail has cheaper houses ($829,500 vs $1,237,500)
  • Haywards Bay leaves households under less mortgage stress (24% vs 30%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Albion Park Rail

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (27% vs 8%)
  • has cheaper rent ($390/wk vs $590/wk)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Albion Park Rail

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (72/100 vs 37/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Albion Park Rail

ahead on 4 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (22% vs 2%)
  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (72/100 vs 37/100)
  • But Haywards Bay carries lower crime risk (28/100 vs 74/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Haywards Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (27.2% vs 0.0%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Albion Park Rail and Haywards Bay drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Albion Park Rail Haywards Bay
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Albion Park Rail Haywards Bay
Walkability 72 / 37
Albion Park Rail — Walkability: 72/100 Haywards Bay — Walkability: 37/100
Safety 26 / 72
Albion Park Rail — Safety: 26/100 Haywards Bay — Safety: 72/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Albion Park Rail — Low fire risk: 100/100 Haywards Bay — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Albion Park Rail has more residents (6,920 vs 1,280); Haywards Bay has higher household incomes ($120,016 vs $73,372).

Albion Park Rail Haywards Bay
Population 6,920
+82% vs other
 1,280
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +0.0% +27.2%
Median age 41 38
Median household income $73,372/yr $120,016/yr
+64% vs other
Median weekly rent $390/wk $590/wk
+51% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Albion Park Rail Haywards Bay
0-4 6.0% / 7.1%
Albion Park Rail — 0-4: 6.0% Haywards Bay — 0-4: 7.1%
5-14 11.5% / 15.7%
Albion Park Rail — 5-14: 11.5% Haywards Bay — 5-14: 15.7%
15-19 5.4% / 6.9%
Albion Park Rail — 15-19: 5.4% Haywards Bay — 15-19: 6.9%
20-24 6.6% / 5.2%
Albion Park Rail — 20-24: 6.6% Haywards Bay — 20-24: 5.2%
25-34 13.3% / 9.3%
Albion Park Rail — 25-34: 13.3% Haywards Bay — 25-34: 9.3%
35-44 11.0% / 15.9%
Albion Park Rail — 35-44: 11.0% Haywards Bay — 35-44: 15.9%
45-54 11.4% / 14.1%
Albion Park Rail — 45-54: 11.4% Haywards Bay — 45-54: 14.1%
55-64 13.4% / 10.8%
Albion Park Rail — 55-64: 13.4% Haywards Bay — 55-64: 10.8%
65-74 11.5% / 10.9%
Albion Park Rail — 65-74: 11.5% Haywards Bay — 65-74: 10.9%
75-84 6.6% / 4.1%
Albion Park Rail — 75-84: 6.6% Haywards Bay — 75-84: 4.1%
85+ 3.2% / 0.7%
Albion Park Rail — 85+: 3.2% Haywards Bay — 85+: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Albion Park Rail 37.0% couple families
Albion Park Rail — Couple Families: 37.0% Albion Park Rail — Lone Person: 34.2% Albion Park Rail — One Parent Families: 22.6% Albion Park Rail — Group Household: 4.1% Albion Park Rail — Other Families: 2.0%
Haywards Bay 72.0% couple families
Haywards Bay — Couple Families: 72.0% Haywards Bay — Lone Person: 14.9% Haywards Bay — One Parent Families: 10.9% Haywards Bay — Group Household: 1.1% Haywards Bay — Other Families: 1.1%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Albion Park Rail 27.3% renting
Albion Park Rail — Owned Outright: 34.9% Albion Park Rail — Mortgage: 37.8% Albion Park Rail — Renting: 27.3%
Haywards Bay 8.4% renting
Haywards Bay — Owned Outright: 37.1% Haywards Bay — Mortgage: 54.5% Haywards Bay — Renting: 8.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Albion Park Rail Haywards Bay
Certificate III & IV 22.1% / 20.5%
Albion Park Rail — Certificate III & IV: 22.1% Haywards Bay — Certificate III & IV: 20.5%
Bachelor Degree 5.1% / 10.9%
Albion Park Rail — Bachelor Degree: 5.1% Haywards Bay — Bachelor Degree: 10.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.9% / 8.4%
Albion Park Rail — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.9% Haywards Bay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4%
Postgraduate Degree 1.1% / 2.6%
Albion Park Rail — Postgraduate Degree: 1.1% Haywards Bay — Postgraduate Degree: 2.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.9% / 1.5%
Albion Park Rail — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.9% Haywards Bay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.1%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Albion Park Rail Haywards Bay
England 5.1% / 4.4%
Albion Park Rail — England: 5.1% Haywards Bay — England: 4.4%
New Zealand 0.9% / 1.2%
Albion Park Rail — New Zealand: 0.9% Haywards Bay — New Zealand: 1.2%
Germany 0.7% / 0.7%
Albion Park Rail — Germany: 0.7% Haywards Bay — Germany: 0.7%
Philippines 0.7% / 0.5%
Albion Park Rail — Philippines: 0.7% Haywards Bay — Philippines: 0.5%
Scotland 1.0% / —
Albion Park Rail — Scotland: 1.0% Haywards Bay — Scotland: not among its largest
Vietnam 0.3% / 0.7%
Albion Park Rail — Vietnam: 0.3% Haywards Bay — Vietnam: 0.7%
China — / 0.9%
Albion Park Rail — China: not among its largest Haywards Bay — China: 0.9%
Netherlands 0.7% / —
Albion Park Rail — Netherlands: 0.7% Haywards Bay — Netherlands: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Albion Park Rail 78.0% houses
Albion Park Rail — Houses: 78.0% Albion Park Rail — Townhouses: 20.9% Albion Park Rail — Flats / Apartments: 1.1%
Haywards Bay 98.6% houses
Haywards Bay — Houses: 98.6% Haywards Bay — Townhouses: 1.0% Haywards Bay — Flats / Apartments: 0.5%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Albion Park Rail Haywards Bay
Median house price $829,500 $1,237,500
Median unit price $710,000 —
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 22 days
from 55 sales
 32 days
from 9 sales

Zoning mix

Haywards Bay has more land zoned for conservation (51% vs 9%); Albion Park Rail has more rural and farming land (14% vs 0%).

Albion Park Rail Haywards Bay
Environmental 9% 51%
Residential 31% 30%
Infrastructure and transport 24% 8%
Rural and farming 14% 0%
Industrial 12% 0%
Parks and recreation 7% 5%
Other and special use 3% 0%
Commercial 2% 0%
Planning zones cover 100% of Albion Park Rail and 95% of Haywards Bay. The rest is unzoned land such as water or road reserve.
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Albion Park Rail Haywards Bay
New dwellings approved 883
across Shellharbour
 1,476
across Wollongong
Approvals change year on year +25% -31%

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Albion Park Rail Haywards Bay
Houses 4.2%
$725/wk on $899K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Albion Park Rail Haywards Bay
House price Higher than 36% of NSW Higher than 60% of NSW
Income Higher than 40% of NSW Higher than 84% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 89% of NSW Higher than 78% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 55% of NSW Higher than 67% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 71% of NSW Higher than 67% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 79% of NSW Higher than 93% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 82% of NSW —

Liveability

Albion Park Rail is more walkable (72 vs 37); Haywards Bay scores higher overall (67 vs 46).

Albion Park Rail Haywards Bay
Grade C B
Score 46/100 67/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Albion Park Rail carries more crime risk (74 vs 28).

Albion Park Rail Haywards Bay
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
74/100
 Low
28/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 5
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Albion Park Rail Haywards Bay
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Albion Park Rail

  • Albion Park Rail Public School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Haywards Bay

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Amenities in the suburb

Albion Park Rail Haywards Bay
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 2 0
Parks & reserves 17 0
Childcare 5 1
GPs 2 0
Pharmacies 2 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 7 1
Waterways 1 0

Mobility

Albion Park Rail Haywards Bay
Walkability score 72/100 37/100
Distance to Sydney 103 km
+2% vs other
 101.4 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 92 min 91 min
Public transport score 79/100
Rail · Bus
 28/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 170.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 3.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 11.5 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 2527
 0.7%
postcode 2530
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 60
postcode 2527
 54
postcode 2530

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Albion Park Rail Haywards Bay
Car (driver) 76.6% / 69.7%
Albion Park Rail — Car (driver): 76.6% Haywards Bay — Car (driver): 69.7%
Worked from Home 16.1% / 25.0%
Albion Park Rail — Worked from Home: 16.1% Haywards Bay — Worked from Home: 25.0%
Car (passenger) 3.6% / 4.5%
Albion Park Rail — Car (passenger): 3.6% Haywards Bay — Car (passenger): 4.5%
Walked Only 1.1% / 0.8%
Albion Park Rail — Walked Only: 1.1% Haywards Bay — Walked Only: 0.8%
Train 1.7% / —
Albion Park Rail — Train: 1.7% Haywards Bay — Train: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (76.6%).

Setting

Albion Park Rail Haywards Bay
Elevation 7 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 2 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 6.7 km
same for both

NBN connectivity

Albion Park Rail Haywards Bay
Connectivity score 72/100 86/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 49%
3,349 premises
 74%
447 premises

Climate

Albion Park Rail Haywards Bay
Annual rainfall 974 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Albion Park Rail Haywards Bay
PM2.5 5.1 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.3 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.37 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Albion Park Rail Haywards Bay
Average residential rate $1,788/yr $1,751/yr
Council Shellharbour Wollongong

Federal electorate

Albion Park Rail Haywards Bay
Division Whitlam
same for both
Member Carol Berry
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Albion Park Rail Haywards Bay
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Albion Park Rail

Parks Townhouses

Haywards Bay

Family Large Blocks Parks

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Albion Park Rail

Albion Park Rail vs Albion Park Albion Park Rail vs Oak Flats Albion Park Rail vs Blackbutt Albion Park Rail vs Calderwood Albion Park Rail vs Yallah Albion Park Rail vs Croom

Other comparisons with Haywards Bay

Haywards Bay vs Yallah
Full data on Albion Park Rail Full data on Haywards Bay
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Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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